8. Cranes in Myth and Legend

University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Cranes of the World, by Paul Johnsgard Papers in the Biological Sciences January 1983 Cranes of the World: 8. Cranes in Myth and Legend Paul A. Johnsgard University of Nebraska-Lincoln, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/bioscicranes Part of the Ornithology Commons Johnsgard, Paul A., "Cranes of the World: 8. Cranes in Myth and Legend" (1983). Cranes of the World, by Paul Johnsgard. 11. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/bioscicranes/11 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Papers in the Biological Sciences at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Cranes of the World, by Paul Johnsgard by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Cranes in Myth and Legend Wherever cranes occur in the world, their stature, morsel of food to a crane (Armstrong, 1979). Aristotle intelligence, wariness, and sociality have cap- and other early Greek writers believed that the feathers tured the human imagination and have given of cranes changed color with age. Thus, as humans age rise to a variety of legends, myths, and folktales. from black to gray and finally to white, so too were Among the best sources of such information for cranes thought to change from black through yellow to England and southern Europe are the manuscript white. On the other hand, later writers used the absence writings of Edward Topsell (1572-1625), which have of plumage changes in cranes as symbolic of constancy been edited and recently republished (1972). Topsell and singular endeavor. reported that "when fables ruled the world" it was Besides apparently contributing several letters to the believed that a proud queen of Pygmies named Oenoe Greek alphabet, cranes and their behavior are responsible or Gerania was turned into a crane by Juno and Diana, for several words that have gained general use. The because she taught her people to neglect other gods and geranium plant is so named for the seed capsule's worship her. Gerania thereafter began an irreconcilable resemblance to a crane's bill. The Latin congruere, war between cranes and Pygmies that has persisted ever meaning an agreement, is the origin of the English since. Much the same story appears in the Iliad of word congruence (Topsell, 1972).Soon after the Norman Homer. From this legend perhaps came the Greek name Conquest of England there was a general interest geranos or gereunos for cranes. Likewise, they were developed in genealogy, and the branching form of a sometimes known as the birds of Palamedes, since, at family tree was referred to as a "crane's foot," or pied de about the time of the Trojan Wars, the mythic hero grue, from which is derived the present word pedigree Palamedes reputedly invented several Greek letters by (Ingersoll, 1923). The calling of cranes, or iangling, watching the convolutions of flying cranes. The avian also gave rise to the modern English word jangling. genus Palamedea, however, was subsequently applied The migrations of cranes, marked by large flocks and to the South American crane-like birds known as clamoring calls, were well known to the Greeks and screamers. On the other hand, the Romans called cranes Romans, and were used to mark the changing of the grues, evidently because of their grunting voices. seasons. Topsell noted that the birds have keen senses of According to Topsell, even the African crowned sight, hearing, and smell. Further, like the kings of cranes were well known to Pliny and other early Roman Persia, the cranes have both summer and winter dwell- writers, and the Eurasian crane was even more familiar ings, and they follow certain limited and determinate to the early Romans, who were greatly impressed by its schedules during which they change their habitations. longevity. An Italian professor at Padua, Leonicus Thus, Pliny praised the regular order of crane and quail Tomaeus (1457-1533) reportedly maintained a crane in migrations, in which the quails regularly appeared one captivity for some forty years. Cranes were also evidently month before the cranes in spring and likewise departed raised as pets or fattened for the pot in ancient Greece. a month before them during fall. When the cranes were Plutarch referred to the practice of fattening them by about to leave Thrace they were believed to assemble in sewing shut their eyelids, which quiets the birds (from rank and order in the manner of soldiers. Before the which practice the English term hoodwinking derives), flock finally left, the oldest of the cranes would fly about and a design on an ancient Greek vase in the Hermitage in a circle three times, after which he would fall down Museum of Leningrad shows a seated woman offering a and die of exhaustion, to be buried by the others. After CRANES IN MYTH AND LEGEND this ceremony the rest would take flight toward Africa their throats with sand and also carried stones. Some to spend the winter. believed that the stone was carried by their feet, and Topsell noted that during flight, the birds attain Topsell suggested that perhaps the carrying of stones by unusual heights and fly in triangular formation, and the individuals that were swiftest of flight prevented that unlike other birds they fly both night andday. The them from flying so fast that they might outstrip and high flight was attributed to the birds' desire to see great lose contact with the slower ones. Pliny reported that distances ahead, and perhaps foresee the onset of rains after the cranes had crossed the Sea of Pontus and had or storms in order that they might avoid them. Further, dropped the stones that they were carrying in the feet for when at such heights the stragglers can better be ballast, they landed and cast up the sand carried in their observed and helped. The usual triangular formation, throats, which had by then been transformed into a like the Greek letter lambda, allows the birds to cut the perfect yellow stone. Through the help of fire, this air more readily, while during high winds they tend to stone could then be transformed into gold. fly in the form of a half-moon. When set upon by eagles, On their fall flight to Egypt the cranes were believed the birds were believed to assume the shape of a ring, or to choose a captain, since they knew they would meet that of a heart, in order that they might fly with greater with enemies there, but on their return flight to Europe courage and strength. It was noted that the birds they neither chose a captain nor posted watches. In their sometimes change places in formation, and by this choice of a guide, they select one of the strongest and regular changing of formation various letters of the oldest birds, which might be best able to find the proper alphabet are imitated. More remarkably, Cicero believed way and strong enough to withstand the wind. In the that each crane rested its head on the back of the bird middle of the flock the youngest and weakest birds fly, flying immediately ahead of it. The lead crane, having in order that they might be encouraged by those both in no bird to rest its head upon, eventually retired to the front and behind. Other watchmen and officers are end of the line, to place its head on the back of the placed at the rear, to call to the captain and inform him trailing bird, which had previously supported none. that all are following. The captain must not only fly in Topsell noted that the three most likely letters to have the foremost position and guide the flock properly, but been extracted from the flight of cranes, alpha, lambda, must also help stand guard while the flock rests at and upsilon, are probably not actually attributable to night. Many watchmen are also posted, while each of Palamedes, who was reputed to have invented several the others in the flock sleeps with one leg lifted and its new Greek letters from watching the formations of head under a wing. Plutarch stated that the birds stand cranes. Yet, M. Martial (AD 40-104), a Roman epi- their watch like Hercules, who leaned with his head and gramist, and Flavius 'Cassiodorus (c. 490-575) both hand upon his club. Thus the crane stands on one leg affirmed that the entire Greek alphabet was obtained and holds a stone in the claws of the other foot, so that if from the flight of cranes by the god Mercury. sleep should overtake the bird, it would drop the stone, Topsell observed that while in flight, cranes always awakening itself and the other sleeping birds (Topsell, treat the foremost of them as captain and arrange 1972). themselves so as not to obscure the view of the lead bird. According to Topsell, when the cranes have reached The older birds take turns being leader, and should any three years of age they leave the cold climates for their of the flock become weary before r eaching their destina- breeding grounds. Then the birds form couples, and the tions two other birds will take the tired individual on males fertilize their mates while the latter are standing their backs or wings, or support it with their outstretched upright rather than lying on the earth. In addition to legs. Topsell observed that t ranes I arely fly against the two eggs, a stone is also often "laid" in the nest, at least wind, except when being chased, and they also avoid in captivity.

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